Electrical switches



April 15, 1 958 T. B. ORTWIG ELECTRICAL SWITCHES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 24, 1954 m m T w W.

w W T R O Rm 5 A VM 0 H T April 1958 Q T. B. ORTWIG 2,831,079

ELECTRICAL SWITCHES Filed May 24, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

THOMAS B. OR TWIG BY e United htates Patent ce Patented Apr. 15,1958- vided with a rivet 13 which is provided with a portion 13 of reduced diameter which is force fitted in an 2 831 079 aperture formed in the spring member, a portion of larger diameter of each rivet 13 being in contact with the inner ELECTRICAL SWITCHES 5 face of the spring member with which it is associated and contacts with the related contac m m er. Thomas Ortwig Elorissant M assign JanFeS The base member 1 supports also ti m vaible insulator Cmnmmn, St Ma, a corpmm id which is provided at its bottom with a plate 15' that has extended downwardly therefrom an arm 16, and said Application May 24, 1954, Serial No. 432,521 plate being secured to said insulator 14 by bolts 17. At opposite sides of the arm 16 bearing ortions 18 are 8 Clams (Cl'200 48) provided which are disposed between sgaced ears 19 formed on a bracket member 19, said bracket member being secured to the top wall of the base member at the This invention relates generally to electrical switches lower face thereof y bolts 20 and the Spaced ears and more specifically to an electrical switch of the tilting ihereOf being Projected through an Opening 21 formed insulator type adapted particularly for use as a unit of through said p Wall Of Said base memberh m va e a gang it h se bl th d i t bj t f h insulator 14 is connected for pivotal movement to the invention being to provide a switch of this type which bracket member 19 y a Pivot P 22, and fixed to said is of such improved construction and arrangement that 20 insulator 14 at the p thereof, y bolts 23, is a member it is capable of performing its intended function in an said member comprising a plate and a convergent improved manner without the need for cables for con- Portion 26 Which extends p y from Said Plate, Said ducting electrical energy around connections and movable convergent Portion having a r r w l 27 fr m which parts of the switch. extend an upper abutment element 27 and a lower Another object of the invention is to provide a switch 25 abutment filament h convergent Portion 26 of of the type mentioned above with means for adjusting th member 24 is provided with a bearing portion 28, certain parts of the switch so that the switch will perform an a d C nv rg nt portion is provided with strengthen-' its intended function in a more efficient manner than ing ribs 29 for imparting thereto the required strength. did similar switches heretofore known. The improved switch A includes a switch blade 30 Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved switch of 30 which is secured to the convergent portion 2 0f this invention. member 24 by means of a bolt 31. The switch blade is Fig. 2 is a top, plan view of the switch shown in Fig. 1. made up of a pair of blade members, the forward portions Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 are sections taken on lines of said blade members being slightly spaced apart with 33, 4-4, 5-5, 7-7 of Fig. 1; line 6-6 of Fig. 5; a spacer 32 interposed between said forward portions of and line 88 of Fig. 2. said blade members, and said forward portions of said In the drawing, wherein is shown for purposes of illusblade members being riveted together. The rear portration, merely, one embodiment of the invention, A tions of said blade members are more widely spaced designates the improved switch generally. The switch apart, said rear portions of said blade members being A comprises a base member 1, said base member being disposed in contact with the opposite ends of the bearof inverted U-shape cross-section, having a top wall 1, ing 23 of the convergent portion of the member 24. opposed side walls 1 and flanges 1 which project out- The switch A includes pantograph structure P compriswardly from said side walls at the bottoms thereof. ing a pair of arms 33 which are pivotally connected at At one end of the base member the side walls are cut corresponding ends thereof to the convergent portion away as indicated at 1 in Fig. 1. Supported by the base of the member 24, the shank portion of a bolt 34 being member adjacent to an end thereof is an upstanding extended through openings formed through end porinsulator 2, said insulator 2 being secured to the top wall tions of said arms 33, through end portions of the blade 1 of said base member by means of bolts 3, which members of the switch blade 30, and through the bore serve also to secure to said top wall of the base member, of the bearing portion of the convergent portion 26 of at the lower face thereof, a bracket 4 which is provided said member 24, the bore of said bearing portion being with a downwardly extended ear 4 substantially larger in diameter than the shank portion Fixed to the insulator 2 at the top thereof by means of said bolt so that a loose fit is provided between said of bolts 5 is a terminal 6, said terminal having an bolt shank and said bearing portion. The pantograph upwardly projected extension 6 The extension 6 of structure includes, also, a second pair of arms 35 which the terminal 6 supports a contact structure 7 which are pivotally connected at corresponding ends to the roof comprises a pair of inner contact members 8 which are end portion of the pair of arms 33 which are remote'from formed of material possessing some resiliency, and a the end portions of said arms 33 which are connected pair of spring members 9 which are formed of highly to the convergent portion 26 of the member 24 by the resilient material, there being a contact member 8 and bolt 31. The opposite end portions of the arms 35 are a spring member 9 at each side of the contact structure pivotally connected by means of a bolt 36 to an upstand f 4 and said. opposed pairs made up each of a contact meming ear 37 formed on a terminal 37, said terminal being her and a spring member being secured to the extension secured by bolts 38 to the top of an insulator 39 which 6 of the terminal 6 by bolts 10. The contact members insulator is secured in a fixed position to the base memare each provided with an upper element 8 and said her 1 by bolts 40. upper element is provided with an inwardly projected Pivotally connected to the ear 4 of the bracket 4 rib 11. Also, each contact member has fixedly associated )0 of the switch A by means of a pivot pin 41 is an eletherewith a plurality of rivets 12, each of said rivets ment 42, said element being provided with an extension having a portion 12 of reduced diameter which is force 43 and including, also, a clamping structure 44 made up fitted in an aperture formed in the upper element of conof a fixed clamping jaw 44 and a removable clamping tact member, and a portion 12 of larger diameter which 'jaw 44 which is fixed to the fixed jaw by bolts 45. v Concontacts with the outer face of the contact member for securing said upper element to said contact member 8. Each spring member 9 of the contact structure 7 is pronected to the extension 43 of the element 42, at the outer end thereof by means of a pivot pin 46 is a bifurcated fitting 47 which embraces the end portion of the extension 43 .of the element 42, said fitting having a rod 48 connected thereto and having a similar bifurcated fitting 49 connected to its opposite end. The arm 16 which extends downwardly from the plate at the bottom of the movable insulator 14 includes at its lower end an eccentric housing in which is disposed an eccentric 50, said eccentric being mounted on a shaft 51 which is arranged eccentrically of said eccentric housing, said shaft having anon-circular, tool-receiving, end 52, as shown in Fig. l and serving also to connect the fitting 49 to the eccentric;50. When the switch A is a part of a gang switch assemblya phase bar (not shown) is clamped by the clamp structures 44 of the various switch units to provide for the operation of said various switch units in response to .movement of said phase bar.

When the switch units of a gang switch assembly are moved from the close-switch position to the open-switch position, .the phase bar is actuated to cause the bar 48 and fittings 47 and 48 to be moved in the direction indicated by .the arrow in Fig. 1. Such movement of said parts will cause the movable insulator 14 to tilt on its pivot 22, so as to cause the switch blade to be disconnected from the contact structure 7. As heretofore stated, the bore opening through the bearing portion of the convergent portion 26 of the member 24 is oversize when compared with the diameter of the shank of the bolt 31 and, therefore, relative movement is permitted between the switch blade and the movable insulator. This is important when ice forms at the point where the switch blade 30 engages the contact structure 7 and it is necessary to work the switch. blade free from the contact structure by movements of the switch blade which will crack the ice. When the movable insulator 14 of the switch is being moved to the open-switch position of the switch, the lower abutment 27 engages the lower edges of the blade members of the switch blade so as to carry the switch blade with the movable insulator of the switch. Likewise, when the movable insulator 14 of the switch is being moved to the close-switch position of the switch the upper abutment 27 engages the top edges of the blade members of the switch blade so as to carry the switch blade into contact engagement with the contact structure 7 of the switch.

It frequently happens that the phase bar of a gang switch assembly becomes warped, or is otherwise bent out of its true alinement, and when this happens proper contact engagement between the switch blade 30 and the contact structure 7 may be prevented. In the use of the present invention it this should happen it is necessary, merely, that the lock bolt 53 which frictionally engages and locks the eccentric in positions to which it has been adjusted with respect to the eccentric housing, be backed up slightly so as to unlock said eccentric, whereupon a suitable tool may be applied to the non-circular, tool receiving portion 52 of the eccentric shaft 51 and the eccentric rotated within the eccentric housing to bring the switch blade 30 into proper relation with respect to the contact structure 7.

An important feature of the present invention is that the pairs of arms 33 and 35 of which the pantograph P is comprised are constructed of copper or other material which is a good conductor of electricity. Because of this arrangement the need for cable connections for conductmg current around the pantograph, as was the case heretofore, when the arms of the pantograph were made of steel or other material which did not possess good electrical conducting properties, is eliminated.

I claim;

1. An electrical switch comprising a base member, a first fixed insulator secured to said base member, a contact structure supported by said first fixed insulator and having a terminal related thereto which has an extension that supports said contact structure, a movable insulator supported by said base member and having a member secured thereto at the top of said movable insulator, a

switch blade supported by said top member of said mova ble insulator for movement with respect thereto, and for movement with said movable insulator into and out of contact engagement with respect to said contact structure, a bolt for securing said switch blade to said top member of said movable insulator, and a bearing forming a part of said top member of said movable insulator through which the shank of said bolt extends, the bore of said bearing being substantially larger in diameter than said shank of said bolt to permit limited omnidirectional planar movement of the switch blade relative to the top member of said movable insulator, a second fixed insulator secured to said base member and having a terminal supported thereby, and a pantograph structure made up of arms electrically connected to the switch blade of said movable insulator and to the terminal of the second fixed insulator and connected together.

2. An electrical switch comprising a base member, a first fixed insulator secured to said base member, a contact structure supported by said first fixed insulator and having a terminal related thereto which has an extension that supports said contact structure, a movable insulator supported by said base member and having a member secured thereto at the top of said movable insulator, a switch blade supported by said top member of said movable insulator for movement with respect thereto, and for movement with said movable insulator into and out of contact engagement with respect to said contact structure, a bolt for securing said switch blade to said top member of said movable insulator, and a bearing forming a part of said top member of said movable insulator through which the shank of said bolt extends, the bore of said bearing being substantially larger in diameter than said shank of said bolt to permit limited omnidirectional planar movement of the switch blade relative to the top member of said movable insulator, abutments formed on said top member of said movable insulator which engage said switch blade on movement of said movable insulator, a second fixed insulator secured to said base member and having a terminal supported thereby, and a pantograph structure made up of arms electrically connected to the switch blade of said movable insulator and to the terminal of the second fixed insulator and connected together.

3. An electrical switch comprising a base member, a first fixed insulator secured to said base member, a contact structure supported by said first fixed insulator and having a terminal related thereto, a movable insulator supported by said base member and having a member secured thereto at the top of said movable insulator, a switch blade supported by said top member of said movable insulator for movement with respect thereto and for movement with said movable insulator into and out of contact engagement with respect to said contact structure, a second fixed insulator secured to said base memher and having a terminal supported thereby, means located beneath said base member for adjusting said movable insulator to properly relate the switch blade to said contact structure, and a pantograph structure made up of arms electrically connected to said switch blade of said movable insulator and to the terminal of the second fixed insulator and connected together.

4. An electrical switch comprising a base member, a first fixed insulator secured to said base member, a contact structure supported by said first fixed insulator and the switch blade to said contact structure, and a pantograph structure made up of arms electrically connected to said switch blade of said movable insulator and to the terminal of the second fixed insulator and connected together.

5. An electrical switch comprising a base member, a first fixed insulator secured to said base member, a contact structure supported by said first fixed insulator and having a terminal related thereto, a movable insulator supported by said base member and having a member secured thereto at the top of said movable insulator, a switch blade supported by said top member of said movable insulator for movement with respect thereto and for movement with said movable insulator into and out of contact engagement with respect to said contact structure, a second fixed insulator secured to said base member and having a terminal supported thereby, means located beneath said base member including an eccentric adjacent to the lower end of said movable insulator for adjusting said movable insulator to properly relate the switch blade to said contact structure, and a pantograph structure made up of arms electrically connected to said switch blade of said movable insulator and to the terminal of the second fixed insulator and connected together.

6. An electrical switch comprising a base member, a first fixed insulator secured to said base member, a contact structure supported by said first fixed insulator and having a terminal related thereto, a movable insulator supported by said base member and having a member secured thereto at the top of said movable insulator, a switch blade supported by said top member of said movable insulator for movement with respect thereto and for movement with said movable insulator into and out of contact engagement with respect to said contact structure, a second fixed insulator secured to said base member and having a terminal supported thereby, means located beneath said base member including an eccentric for adjusting said movable insulator to properly relate the switch blade to said contact structure, and means for locking said eccentric in positions to which it is adjusted, and a pantograph structure made up of arms electrically connected to said switch blade of said movable insulator and to the terminal of the second fixed insulator and connected together.

7. In an electrical switch having a fixed insulator supporting a contact structure, and a pivotally movable insulator having a supporting structure for a switch blade, the improvement comprising a shaft mounted on said supporting structure, a switch blade having an aperture substantially larger in diameter than said shaft, said shaft being positioned within said aperture so as to allow limited free omnidirectional planar movement of said switch blade, and means for maintaining frictional contact between said supporting structure and said switch blade during relative movement thereof.

8. The improvement of claim 7, further comprising at least one abutment rigidly connected to said supporting structure for limiting movement of said switch blade.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,831,843 Cornfield Nov. 17, 1931 1,894,421 Rea Jan. 17, 1933 2,047,083 Sandt July 7, 1936 2,140,907 Froland Dec. 20, 1938 2,354,991 Gusson et al. Aug. 1, 1944 2,760,034 Kowalski et al. Aug. 21, 1956 

